Obama hit on Afghanistan

Blogwatch

September 22, 2009

motherjones

The Washington Post obtained . . . Gen. Stanley McChrystal's report on the war in Afghanistan. . . . The weakness of state institutions . . . McChrystal says, [and] a perception that our resolve is uncertain makes Afghans reluctant to align with us. . . . I gotta ask . . . is it really likely that a few more troops and a change . . . away from counter terrorism will bear results within 12 months? Because that's what McChrystal says the time frame is.

Kevin Drum

commentarymagazine

Obama took to the airwaves to bob and weave on Afghanistan. When will he make a decision? Why hasn't he already? He won't say and gives every indication that a massive stall is underway. He goes as far as to suggest that he's still lacking a strategy from his military.

One problem: That explanation is apparently false. . . . [Obama] lacks the will to make the tough call in a timely fashion to start on that 12-month effort to gain back the initiative.